Instant messaging technology enables two or more participants to communicate via a computer network, such as the Internet, in more or less real time. Typically, each participant uses a client computer system to send and receive messages. Each client computer system typically is connected via a network to an instant messaging connection server. The connection server receives and processes messages from participants, including by forwarding them to the client systems of the other participants for display. The connection server may also be configured to send messages on behalf of the system, such as to inform participants that a fellow participant has disconnected or logged off.
Typically, instant messaging application software is installed at each client system to enable the client system to be used as an instant messaging client. The instant messaging software may be made available for download, for example, from a web page accessible via the Internet. A user invokes this software on the client system in order to communicate by instant messaging with one or more other participants. The client side application software typically establishes a connection between the client system and the connection server and either automatically logs the user into the connection server or prompts the user to enter the information necessary to log in, such as a user name and password. The user may then communicate by means of instant messaging with one or more other users who are logged into the instant messaging system at that time.
Under this approach, only users who have downloaded or otherwise installed the client side instant messaging software that enables them to connect to the same instant messaging system may communicate with each other. Moreover, typically the process of downloading or otherwise installing the client side instant messaging application software includes a registration process in which the user registers as a user of the system by establishing a user name and account. This process requires time to complete, which discourages some potential new users from registering and downloading the required software. As a result, instant messaging users are typically limited to communicating by instant messaging only with other users who have registered with and downloaded the client side software provided by the particular instant messaging service provider with whom they have registered and whose client side software they have installed. If a user of such a system wishes to communicate by instant messaging with someone who is not a registered user of that system, the user typically must ask the individual with whom he wishes to communicate to download or otherwise obtain the software and register as a user in order to be able to do so.
Therefore, there is a need for a way to enable an instant messaging user to communicate by instant messaging with a person who has neither downloaded or otherwise installed the client side instant messaging application software normally required for such communication nor registered and logged in as a registered user of the instant messaging system. There also is a need for a way for such a user to invite someone who may or may not be a registered user of the particular instant messaging system used by the user to communicate with the user by instant messaging. There is also a need to provide instant messaging functionality to a client system without requiring that client side application software be downloaded and installed, and without requiring that a person register as a user before communicating. Finally, there is a need to enable a guest user who is not a registered user to connect to and communicate through use of an instant messaging connection server.